Geographic Range

Sea lampreys are native to the Atlantic Ocean. Between the months of March and October, they can be found along the coast of the United States as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as South Carolina. In October, North American lampreys migrate south along the Atlantic coast to warmer climates, some travelling as far south as Florida. Sea lampreys can also be found along the Atlantic coast of Europe as far north as Norway and ranging as far south as the Mediterranean. In October, they can travel as far south as Africa and to parts of the Indian coast. Sea lampreys have also been introduced to the Great Lakes region of the United States many times over within the past 200 years. Reports of this species in Lake Ontario date back to the early 1800s. Great Lake sea lampreys must first travel through the Gulf of St. Lawrence in order to gain access to the Atlantic coastal region. ("Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000; Jenkins and Burkhead, 1993; Lavis, et al., 2001; Lavis, et al., 2003; Nikitina, et al., 2009; Rohde, et al., 1994; Trautman, 1981)

Habitat

Sea lampreys are anadromous, and migration is triggered by changes in water temperature. In general, they prefer shallow coastal areas, though they are found at depths between 0.91 and 4.57 m. Young lampreys are hatched in gravel or rock beds in small, freshwater streams and rivers. After the larval stage, they migrate into saltwater ocean habitats. They return to freshwater to lay their eggs. Sea lampreys thrive in systems where the following are present: 1) waterways lacking obstructions (like dams or waterfalls) with clean sand and gravel areas for spawning; 2) sand beds free of pollutants with a large supply of organic matter for their developing young; and 3) large waterways with a plentiful supply of fish to serve as hosts for their fully developed offspring. ("Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000; Jenkins and Burkhead, 1993; Nikitina, et al., 2009; Rohde, et al., 1994; Trautman, 1981)

Physical Description

Sea lampreys, Petromyzon marinus, belong to a group of fish called Agnathans, which lack a jaw. Although classified in the subphylum Vertebrata, this species lacks vertebrae, and their entire skeleton is cartilaginous. Commonly known for their smooth, scaleless physique and long cylindrical bodies, they are often misidentified as eels. Sea lampreys also lack swim bladders and a lateral line system. Members of this species have a visible eye spot located on each side of their head behind a single nostril and above a set of seven gill openings. Their mouth takes on an oval shape while attached to their host, but once opened it becomes larger than the head and pharynx together. Inside the oval-shaped mouth are numerous rows of large teeth pointing inward. Sea lampreys have two dorsal fins but lack any paired fins. When spawning occurs, males develop a distinct ridge along their back and females develop a pronounced fold of skin behind their vent. ("Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000; Jenkins and Burkhead, 1993; Rohde, et al., 1994; Trautman, 1981)

Sea lampreys are the largest and most aggressive species of lamprey, ranging from 15.2 to 30 cm in length as juveniles and 30 to 100 cm in length as adults. Adults can weigh up to 2.5 kg. Besides length, there are several key differences between adult and young sea lampreys. Color is often a good indicator of age; larvae generally are dark, greenish brown with a light grey underbelly, while adults are brownish grey and tend to lighten in color when about to spawn. Another key difference involves the dorsal fins; while separate in young lampreys, the dorsal fins migrate closer together as sea lampreys reach adulthood. ("Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000; Jenkins and Burkhead, 1993; Rohde, et al., 1994; Trautman, 1981)

Development

There are four stages in the life cycle of sea lampreys, which usually spans 18 months but can last as long as 5 years. The first of these stages is the spawning phase, which occurs during spring and early summer. From April to June, sea lampreys search freshwater rivers and streams, seeking an ideal location in which to construct a nest and lay their eggs. Once the area is selected, male sea lampreys construct a nest, often moving rocks to create a large indenture or depression in the river or lake bed. A female then lays 30,000 to 100,000 eggs, which the male externally fertilizes. Both male and female adult sea lampreys float away and die soon after spawning. Unique to this phase is the disintegration of the digestive system; adult sea lampreys cannot feed while spawning. During the second phase, fertilized eggs settle into the sand or gravel and begin to grow. Within a few weeks, the eggs hatch and the larvae burrow further into the sand or gravel. Larvae filter-feed on algae and other aquatic organic matter. This larval phase can last for more than three years. In the third phase, known as transformation, larvae metamorphose into adult sea lampreys. During this phase sea lampreys develop a mouth, teeth and eyes. They also migrate to larger bodies of water, such as oceans or freshwater systems like the Great Lakes. Sea lampreys remain in this habitat for 12 to 18 months as a mature adult and begin to feed, attaching themselves to fish. This is known as the parasitic phase, during which sexual reproductive organs develop. (Bence, et al., 2003; Bryan, et al., 2005; Nikitina, et al., 2009; "Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; Bence, et al., 2003; Bryan, et al., 2005; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000; Nikitina, et al., 2009)

Food Habits

Newly hatched larval sea lampreys are freshwater filter-feeders that consume detritus, algae, and other organic material found at river bottoms. Once in a saline environment (or in the Great Lakes), sea lampreys develop parasitic abilities, attach themselves to a fish and ingest their blood and skin. Sea lampreys ultimately breaks down the fish while the fish is still alive. This species is capable of attaching itself to a variety of species of fish and does not seem to have a preference of host species. Once sea lampreys reach sexual maturity, they no longer feed. (Bryan, et al., 2005; Lavis, et al., 2001; Lavis, et al., 2003; Somervill, 2008)

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Because of their over-aggressive behavior and generalist diet, sea lampreys parasitize many species of fish, contributing to the severe decline of commercial fishing industries, including those on the Atlantic coast of North America and in the Great Lakes region. Each sea lamprey kills more than 18.2 kg of fish each year. This species has parasitized many species of native fish in the Great Lakes region since the early 1800s, leading to the collapse of the Great Lakes commercial fishing industry and costing it millions of dollars. Population declines of native fish in the region have also negatively impacted sport fishing and tourism. In one case, a sea lamprey bit a human, though this is thought to have been accidental. ("Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; Baily, 2009; Bryan, et al., 2005; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000)

Conservation Status

Sea lampreys are not protected. Indeed, as invasive species, efforts are in place to eradicate them from the Great Lakes region. Both federal and state governments have created programs to manage populations of and educate the community about this invasive, harmful species. Barriers and traps are set in the waterways to capture adult sea lampreys before they reproduce. Lampricides are also added to prime habitat of sea lampreys. These treatments specifically target lampreys and are designed not to harm other species. Each program has been tested for several years and has proven an effective control of sea lampreys. ("Sea Lamprey Management Program", 2010; Baily, 2009; Bence, et al., 2003; Dawson and Jones, 2006; "The Great Lakes Fishery Commission", 2000)

Contributors

Glossary

the body of water between Africa, Europe, the southern ocean (above 60 degrees south latitude), and the western hemisphere. It is the second largest ocean in the world after the Pacific Ocean.

Nearctic

living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.

Palearctic

living in the northern part of the Old World. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa.

bilateral symmetry

having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

carnivore

an animal that mainly eats meat

carrion

flesh of dead animals.

chemical

uses smells or other chemicals to communicate

coastal

the nearshore aquatic habitats near a coast, or shoreline.

colonial

used loosely to describe any group of organisms living together or in close proximity to each other - for example nesting shorebirds that live in large colonies. More specifically refers to a group of organisms in which members act as specialized subunits (a continuous, modular society) - as in clonal organisms.

detritivore

an animal that mainly eats decomposed plants and/or animals

detritus

particles of organic material from dead and decomposing organisms. Detritus is the result of the activity of decomposers (organisms that decompose organic material).

external fertilization

fertilization takes place outside the female's body

fertilization

union of egg and spermatozoan

filter-feeding

a method of feeding where small food particles are filtered from the surrounding water by various mechanisms. Used mainly by aquatic invertebrates, especially plankton, but also by baleen whales.

food

A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.

freshwater

mainly lives in water that is not salty.

herbivore

An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.

indeterminate growth

Animals with indeterminate growth continue to grow throughout their lives.

introduced

referring to animal species that have been transported to and established populations in regions outside of their natural range, usually through human action.

metamorphosis

A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.

motile

having the capacity to move from one place to another.

native range

the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.

omnivore

an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals

oriental

found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.

oviparous

reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.

parasite

an organism that obtains nutrients from other organisms in a harmful way that doesn't cause immediate death

pheromones

chemicals released into air or water that are detected by and responded to by other animals of the same species

piscivore

an animal that mainly eats fish

polygynous

having more than one female as a mate at one time

polymorphic

"many forms." A species is polymorphic if its individuals can be divided into two or more easily recognized groups, based on structure, color, or other similar characteristics. The term only applies when the distinct groups can be found in the same area; graded or clinal variation throughout the range of a species (e.g. a north-to-south decrease in size) is not polymorphism. Polymorphic characteristics may be inherited because the differences have a genetic basis, or they may be the result of environmental influences. We do not consider sexual differences (i.e. sexual dimorphism), seasonal changes (e.g. change in fur color), or age-related changes to be polymorphic.
Polymorphism in a local population can be an adaptation to prevent density-dependent predation, where predators preferentially prey on the most common morph.

saltwater or marine

mainly lives in oceans, seas, or other bodies of salt water.

sanguivore

an animal that mainly eats blood

seasonal breeding

breeding is confined to a particular season

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female

Lavis, D., A. Hallett, E. Koon, T. McAuley. 2003. History of and advances in barriers as an alternative method to suppress sea lampreys in the Great Lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 29/1: 362-372.

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The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

This material is based upon work supported by the
National Science Foundation
Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services.